Arginase activity in the blood of patients with visceral leishmaniasis and HIV infection.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Visceral leishmaniasis is a parasitic disease associated with high mortality. The most important foci of visceral leishmaniasis in Ethiopia are in the Northwest and are predominantly associated with high rates of HIV co-infection. Co-infection of visceral leishmaniasis patients with HIV results in higher mortality, treatment failure and relapse. We have previously shown that arginase, an enzyme associated with immunosuppression, was increased in patients with visceral leishmaniasis and in HIV seropositive patients; further our results showed that high arginase activity is a marker of disease severity. Here, we tested the hypothesis that increased arginase activities associated with visceral leishmaniasis and HIV infections synergize in patients co-infected with both path

SUBMITTER: Takele Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3547864 | biostudies-literature | 2013

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature